The fourth most populated city in America was devastated by Hurricane Harvey in August and is still on the road to recovery. Harvey took over 70 lives, cost the city billions of dollars in damages from rainfall and flooding, and is considered one of the worst natural disasters in the history of the nation.

Despite all of that, Houston trucks on.

It doesn’t matter if you call Houston “Space City,” “Bayou City,” “Magnolia City,” “H-Town” or, well, Houston. The bustling city has an unrivaled vibrancy that can’t really be pinned down.

Space Center Houston appeals to visitors with a taste for the unknown, while downtown’s theater, ballet, opera, and symphony offerings appeal to aspiring thespians, dancers, singers, and those who just appreciate the crafts. There’s also the country’s fourth-largest museum district, which features 19 different institutions ― 11 of which are free!

HuffPost spent some time in Midtown Park, chatting with locals about what makes Houston so great. Here’s what our time there looked like:

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(Damon Dahlen/HuffPost)

Akbar Shahid Ahmed interviews Leanne Schneider.

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(Damon Dahlen/HuffPost)

People sign up to be interviewed during HuffPost's visit to Midtown Park.